Pot Roasted Chicken with Spices

• Serves 4
• 1 x 1.5kg roasting chicken
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1-2 fresh red chillies
• 1 x 400ml can of coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons of ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons of ground cumin
• 1 level teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon ground almonds
• Finely grated zest and the juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 25g (1oz) butter
• 12 even-sized pieces of peeled potatoes, King Edward

Preheat the oven to 190C (375F, Gas mark 5). Place the chicken in a deep casserole that will have enough room for the potatoes as well. Finely chop up the onion, garlic and chillies, melt the butter in a frying pan and fry until they begin to colour. Add the spices, and cook for a few minutes.

Place them in a blender together with the lemon, coconut milk, almonds and season well. Blend to a smooth paste and spoon it over the chicken in the casserole. Cook the chicken for 1½-1¾ hours basting the chicken with the sauce about every 20 minutes.

40 minutes before the end of the cooking time place the potatoes around the chicken and make sure they are well coated in the sauce. When the chicken and potatoes are cooked, remove from the oven and allow the dish to rest for 20 minutes.

Serve with the sauce, potatoes or some stir-fried spinach.